Just something interesting that just came to my head. I mean, you think you might, right? Or if you've been speaking a language for every day or your life (not to mention reading it), then do you think it would permanently stay in your mind, and just thinking in the language constantly would keep you from forgetting it.
If you spend a day alone, you will most likely think your actions in whatever language you feel most comfortable speaking. No, I don't think you would forget it.
I know an exchange student came here from Sweden a few years ago. She went back and couldn't understand her friends very well due to the constant English dialect. So, it's possible, though not likely because of the thought process.
kinda yes ...ive recently moved to toronto and have to speak english everyday...i can think very smoothly in my native language but its been a year since i came..i just met some ppl at school from my country and i couldnt speak as fast as i used too..i was more comfortable with english..you wont forget it just gets harder to use
No. Your brain won't erase your ability to speak and understand English or any language, because you'd still use it. Whenever you think, your thoughts are made out in some language isn't it? You'd also still talk to yourself.
No. Your brain won't erase your ability to speak and understand English or any language, because you'd still use it. Whenever you think, your thoughts are made out in some language isn't it? You'd also still talk to yourself.-TheSecondSign-
I think it's important to keep in mind that not all thought is in language, and that langauge can influence one's thoughts.
Well I see where you guys are getting at, saying you would think in your language therefore not forget it...But here's the thing. When you pick up a soda can or turn on your computer, do you in your head go "I'm picking up a a soda." "I'm turning my computer on"...You just do it, right? No thinking in the language involved. You just do the task without really thinking of the name of the object you're doing something with. So unless you talk to yourself in your head, phoenetically saying words and everything in your head when you do tasks, it does seem like you'd lose a little bit of the ability to speak the language...That is taking out talking to yourself physically of course...
Well I see where you guys are getting at, saying you would think in your language therefore not forget it...But here's the thing. When you pick up a soda can or turn on your computer, do you in your head go "I'm picking up a a soda." "I'm turning my computer on"...You just do it, right? No thinking in the language involved. You just do the task without really thinking of the name of the object you're doing something with. So unless you talk to yourself in your head, phoenetically saying words and everything in your head when you do tasks, it does seem like you'd lose a little bit of the ability to speak the language...That is taking out talking to yourself physically of course...camreeno360
Who doesn't talk to themselves? I mean, I certainly don't recite the simple daily tasks I'm doing in my head, but I certainly do talk and think to myself. Everyone does, I hope....
No. Your brain won't erase your ability to speak and understand English or any language, because you'd still use it. Whenever you think, your thoughts are made out in some language isn't it? You'd also still talk to yourself.-TheSecondSign-
Hmm, am I the only one here who doesn't think in a launguage? I would describe my thoughts as very abstract, and since I can think much much faster than I speak, I don't think in my language.
[QUOTE="-TheSecondSign-"]No. Your brain won't erase your ability to speak and understand English or any language, because you'd still use it. Whenever you think, your thoughts are made out in some language isn't it? You'd also still talk to yourself.quiglythegreat
I think it's important to keep in mind that not all thought is in language, and that langauge can influence one's thoughts.
Well I see where you guys are getting at, saying you would think in your language therefore not forget it...But here's the thing. When you pick up a soda can or turn on your computer, do you in your head go "I'm picking up a a soda." "I'm turning my computer on"...You just do it, right? No thinking in the language involved. You just do the task without really thinking of the name of the object you're doing something with. So unless you talk to yourself in your head, phoenetically saying words and everything in your head when you do tasks, it does seem like you'd lose a little bit of the ability to speak the language...That is taking out talking to yourself physically of course...camreeno360
Language is necessary (usually) to come up with sophisticated ideas because it requires a structure itself, and therefore its use encourages a more complex structure in terms of logic.
[QUOTE="camreeno360"]Well I see where you guys are getting at, saying you would think in your language therefore not forget it...But here's the thing. When you pick up a soda can or turn on your computer, do you in your head go "I'm picking up a a soda." "I'm turning my computer on"...You just do it, right? No thinking in the language involved. You just do the task without really thinking of the name of the object you're doing something with. So unless you talk to yourself in your head, phoenetically saying words and everything in your head when you do tasks, it does seem like you'd lose a little bit of the ability to speak the language...That is taking out talking to yourself physically of course...GettingTired
Who doesn't talk to themselves? I mean, I certainly don't recite the simple daily tasks I'm doing in my head, but I certainly do talk and think to myself. Everyone does, I hope....
Well I guess you're right, but it depends on the person. Like I'm sure most of us say little words to ourself, like "Oh crap!", "That sucks", "Sweet!" etc. when you see something unfortune when you're by yourself on the computer. While some people would sing to themselves, have conversations with themselves, pretend they're talking to an imaginary person, etc. So I'm guessing it would depend on the personality to determine how well they would remember their language if they were stranded in the wild for several years.
[QUOTE="camreeno360"]Well I see where you guys are getting at, saying you would think in your language therefore not forget it...But here's the thing. When you pick up a soda can or turn on your computer, do you in your head go "I'm picking up a a soda." "I'm turning my computer on"...You just do it, right? No thinking in the language involved. You just do the task without really thinking of the name of the object you're doing something with. So unless you talk to yourself in your head, phoenetically saying words and everything in your head when you do tasks, it does seem like you'd lose a little bit of the ability to speak the language...That is taking out talking to yourself physically of course...camreeno360
Who doesn't talk to themselves? I mean, I certainly don't recite the simple daily tasks I'm doing in my head, but I certainly do talk and think to myself. Everyone does, I hope....
Well I guess you're right, but it depends on the person. Like I'm sure most of us say little words to ourself, like "Oh crap!", "That sucks", "Sweet!" etc. when you see something unfortune when you're by yourself on the computer. While some people would sing to themselves, have conversations with themselves, pretend they're talking to an imaginary person, etc. So I'm guessing it would depend on the personality to determine how well they would remember their language if they were stranded in the wild for several years. In the wilderness it becomes different because you don't feel alone in the wilderness, for some reason, or at least I don't, and usually people talk to themselves because they're nervous about being alone.
Well I suppose you would inevitably want to talk to yourself or non-human objects for company when you're loneliness hits a certain point. You might start talking to squirrels, birds, or even inanimate objects if it goes far enough.
Now the question is, would you forget how to read and write in your language?
Well I suppose you would inevitably want to talk to yourself or non-human objects for company when you're loneliness hits a certain point. You might start talking to squirrels, birds, or even inanimate objects if it goes far enough.
Now the question is, would you forget how to read and write in your language?
camreeno360
Well, define a "few years". If you are talking about 2 or 3, then I'd say no.
Well I suppose you would inevitably want to talk to yourself or non-human objects for company when you're loneliness hits a certain point. You might start talking to squirrels, birds, or even inanimate objects if it goes far enough.
Now the question is, would you forget how to read and write in your language?
camreeno360
Chris McCandless didn't (Into the Wild guy). He kept a diary and read a few books during his totally solo sovereign in Alaska, as well as in Mexico, I believe.
Well I suppose you would inevitably want to talk to yourself or non-human objects for company when you're loneliness hits a certain point. You might start talking to squirrels, birds, or even inanimate objects if it goes far enough.
Now the question is, would you forget how to read and write in your language?
quiglythegreat
Chris McCandless didn't (Into the Wild guy). He kept a diary and read a few books during his totally solo sovereign in Alaska, as well as in Mexico, I believe. A fictional character? Well obviously anyone constantly writing in a diary won't forget how to speak and read/write their language since they'll be constantly refreshed every time they open it. Let's exclude that.
Just something interesting that just came to my head. I mean, you think you might, right? Or if you've been speaking a language for every day or your life (not to mention reading it), then do you think it would permanently stay in your mind, and just thinking in the language constantly would keep you from forgetting it. camreeno360
You'd never forget it. When you "think" you think in your native language (well.. most do alt least) and it is not easily forgotten. Mainly you would lose social skills instead.
Well I suppose you would inevitably want to talk to yourself or non-human objects for company when you're loneliness hits a certain point. You might start talking to squirrels, birds, or even inanimate objects if it goes far enough.
Now the question is, would you forget how to read and write in your language?
GettingTired
Well, define a "few years". If you are talking about 2 or 3, then I'd say no.
10 or more years would be the question. I'm wondering if you'd forget words like "technology", "physics" or other semi-detailed words of the like. I doubt you'd forget how to spell "cat", "dog", "do", etc. though.
Well I see where you guys are getting at, saying you would think in your language therefore not forget it...But here's the thing. When you pick up a soda can or turn on your computer, do you in your head go "I'm picking up a a soda." "I'm turning my computer on"...You just do it, right? No thinking in the language involved. You just do the task without really thinking of the name of the object you're doing something with. So unless you talk to yourself in your head, phoenetically saying words and everything in your head when you do tasks, it does seem like you'd lose a little bit of the ability to speak the language...That is taking out talking to yourself physically of course...camreeno360
Everyone thinks don't they? A common impulse won't exactly require me to think, but if i was in the wild i'm sure i would have to and perceive new aspects on a daily basis. Even as i type this sentence, i'm thinking the words out in my head. You can't just "not think". It will happen when you experience anything your brain's not accustomed to.
Well I suppose you would inevitably want to talk to yourself or non-human objects for company when you're loneliness hits a certain point. You might start talking to squirrels, birds, or even inanimate objects if it goes far enough.
Now the question is, would you forget how to read and write in your language?
camreeno360
Chris McCandless didn't (Into the Wild guy). He kept a diary and read a few books during his totally solo sovereign in Alaska, as well as in Mexico, I believe. A fictional character? Well obviously anyone constantly writing in a diary won't forget how to speak and read/write their language since they'll be constantly refreshed every time they open it. Let's exclude that. You said "forget how to read and write". And he's not at all fictional; Jack Krakouer (however you spell his name) wrote a book about this guy who died in the Alaskan wilderness. It was recently made into a movie.
You wouldn't be as proficient in your language after so many years, but I doubt you would completely forget it.
As far as thinking in English most of you just believe you think in english due to an inner monologue which would be a very very small part of the thought process.
Most people would lose their sanity before their language skills though. It's pretty common that people go crazy if they don't get at least some human contact now and then. I can't think of a single example of a survivor actually being found sane after being seperated from human contact for a prolong period of time. Most eventually turn normal, but they start off pretty bat&%$# crazy when they are first found.
[QUOTE="camreeno360"]Well I see where you guys are getting at, saying you would think in your language therefore not forget it...But here's the thing. When you pick up a soda can or turn on your computer, do you in your head go "I'm picking up a a soda." "I'm turning my computer on"...You just do it, right? No thinking in the language involved. You just do the task without really thinking of the name of the object you're doing something with. So unless you talk to yourself in your head, phoenetically saying words and everything in your head when you do tasks, it does seem like you'd lose a little bit of the ability to speak the language...That is taking out talking to yourself physically of course...aaaaarrrrggggg
Everyone thinks don't they? A common impulse won't exactly require me to think, but if i was in the wild i'm sure i would have to and perceive new aspects on a daily basis. Even as i type this sentence, i'm thinking the words out in my head. You can't just "not think". It will happen when you experience anything your brain's not accustomed to.
I think you heard me wrong. I'm not talking about thinking as in your brain is altogether functioning, but what I meant was we don't really say in our head what we are doing. When you open a door do you have a voice in your head narrating it? "I am now opening a door." Yes you know you're opening a door but you don't say out loud in your head what you are doing, rather you do it without any use of a language in your head.
think about it, if you think in english, and thats all you hear, you'll remember english. it would be different if you lived in a foreign country and had to learn the language, but all alone in the wild, no.
kinda yes ...ive recently moved to toronto and have to speak english everyday...i can think very smoothly in my native language but its been a year since i came..i just met some ppl at school from my country and i couldnt speak as fast as i used too..i was more comfortable with english..you wont forget it just gets harder to usekirk4ever
That's different though, because that involves SWITCHING a language. That involves thinking in a new language, and over time your original language gets harder to understand.
But if you just go out and live in the woods and you speak (for example) primarily English, there's nothing to REPLACE that language. You still may get worse at speaking since you lose having to constantly practice speaking, but you're not gonna suddenly forget the only language that you know without there being something available to replace it.
Yes, its like that with my German, our family still speaks it, but with me being out and away more, and since I do live in America, I just do speak english, it would be incredibly disrespectful to go speak in a different language here in the United States in public. BTW, I am not an immigrant to this country, nor are my parents, its just spoken and written to a degree in the household...not sure why actually???
Yes, its like that with my German, our family still speaks it, but with me being out and away more, and since I do live in America, I just do speak english, it would be incredibly disrespectful to go speak in a different language here in the United States in public. BTW, I am not an immigrant to this country, nor are my parents, its just spoken and written to a degree in the household...not sure why actually???ice_radon
Wait, so are you and you're family just passed down from immigrants that came over many generations ago and you still happen to speak the language passed down? And it survived? That's weird.
[QUOTE="kirk4ever"]kinda yes ...ive recently moved to toronto and have to speak english everyday...i can think very smoothly in my native language but its been a year since i came..i just met some ppl at school from my country and i couldnt speak as fast as i used too..i was more comfortable with english..you wont forget it just gets harder to useMrGeezer
That's different though, because that involves SWITCHING a language. That involves thinking in a new language, and over time your original language gets harder to understand.
But if you just go out and live in the woods and you speak (for example) primarily English, there's nothing to REPLACE that language. You still may get worse at speaking since you lose having to constantly practice speaking, but you're not gonna suddenly forget the only language that you know without there being something available to replace it.
Sure if you only have one language in your head, I guess there's nothing to replace it. But you think you might lose a ton of your vocabulary, right? Since there aren't any cars out in the wilderness, or other objects where people live, it seems like all of the words associated with those objects and their parts would be forgotten if you never encounter them and have a conversation with anyone to use the words in. For instance a conversation like going "I was wondering where I put the wrench, and I needed it to fix the radiator of my sedan". Would the words "wrench", "sedan", and "radiator" fade away in your mind since you won't be really thinking about subjects like that? Also some adjectives and verbs that you would never think about in the wilderness....Such as "indict", "adjourn", "cruise"....
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